The beginning of the end
by Koinaka
Summary: This is kind of a prequel to "If there were no monsters and no magic". Basically, its how in my AU Edward & Bella's relationship went from good to her leaving him and choosing to be with Jacob.
1. Chapter 1

_Fifteen days. Three-hundred and sixty hours until the wedding_

I was staying with Alice and the girls while the boys went hunting. I could have just stayed at home – I _should_ have just stayed at home. Alice insisted that I come over though – the girls wanted to have round-the-clock access to me, so we could squeeze more wedding planning time in – and I could never refuse Alice anything. It seemed harmless at the time. We were safe now. No more Victoria, no more newborn army, no more heart-breaking decisions to make. What was the worst thing that could possibly happen when I was safe inside the house?

After four hours of wedding planning, I feigned exhaustion and escaped up to Edward's room. I was curled up on the bed – planning to take a nap – when I noticed the envelope. It was a letter from Dartmouth, and it was postmarked last week. I stared at it for an hour before I even touched it. It was already opened, so he'd never know if I looked, but I didn't – at first. It was wrong _wrong _**wrong** to pry, I knew that. I felt guilty for even looking at it, for even considering it. I tried to forget that I'd ever seen it. I would have, too – but then I noticed that the letter wasn't for Edward. It was addressed to Isabella Swan – me. Now, why would there be a letter from Dartmouth – addressed to me – at Edward's house?

_Fourteen days. Three-hundred and thirty-six hours until the wedding_

"Bella, you have to make a decision. You can't keep agonizing over this forever. Pick one." Alice said, interrupting my musing.

I blinked twice and tried to remember what it was that I was supposed to be deciding. Rosalie and Esme stared at me as well; everyone was waiting for an answer, but I didn't know how to respond. It was funny that Alice would use those words. Because I did have an important decision to make; one that I'd been agonizing over for weeks – one that I thought I'd already made.

"Whatever you think is best," I told her quietly.

Alice huffed and looked at me reproachfully. "I think they are both equally disgusting, Bella. You'll have to make this decision yourself. Do you want them to serve chicken or beef at the reception?"

Chicken or beef? I thought to myself. Vampire or werewolf? Chicken or beef? Edward or Jacob? I winced at Jacob's name.

"Beef," I said with a sigh. Jacob liked beef better than chicken…

"See! It wasn't too hard to make a decision."

I laughed because the entire situation was ridiculous. I'd already made my decision. I'd already said goodbye to Jacob; left him broken like Edward had once left me. Why was I suddenly sure I'd made a grave – no pun intended – mistake?

The three of them turned their beautiful faces towards me – clearly they didn't see the humor in the situation.

"What's so funny?" Rosalie asked.

"Nothing," I said quickly, and Alice proceeded to give me a small lecture about the seriousness of the situation – did I understand how essential every minute was when there were only two weeks left before the wedding? There were decisions that had to be made! Wedding planning was serious business – before she continued with the incessant questioning.

Two weeks. Fourteen days. Three-hundred and thirty-six hours.

That's how much time I had before the wedding.

I'd been looking forward to it – counting down the days happily. Even though I hadn't wanted a big wedding at first, I'd thrown myself into the wedding plans with Alice. I was finally going to belong to Edward, and I wanted the world to know. We were going to be together – forever – and I was ecstatic. But what I found yesterday changed everything.


	2. Chapter 2

_Fifteen days. Three-hundred and sixty hours until the wedding. _

My fingers caressed the envelope. Should I open it? Should I not? What could possibly be in it? We'd said no to Dartmouth. There was no way I could be anywhere close to humans so soon after my "renovations", and Edward knew that. We were going to Alaska – to Denali. We were going to stay away from humans until I could control myself – however long _that_ took. So, why was there a letter – postmarked last week – addressed to _me_ from _Dartmouth_ at Edward's house? It didn't make any sense.

I was about to open it when Alice barged into the room.

"Don't Bella – don't open it," she pleaded. The expression on her face was heart-breaking.

"You know what's in this envelope, don't you?" I asked her, my voice was shaking, but I couldn't make it stop.

Alice nodded, her eyes swimming with tears that would never fall. "Please don't do it, Bella."

"What happens if I open this envelope, Alice?" I whispered.

"Your wedding disappears."

"That's ridiculous, Alice." I said. I pulled the letter out of the envelope quickly – before she could stop me – and read it.

And read it again. And again.

I looked at Alice, dumbfounded.

"Alice, what _is _this?" I asked her, but she said nothing.

"What does it _mean_?" I tried again, but still she said nothing.

"I don't understand. Why would Dartmouth send me a class schedule? I didn't enroll there. I didn't pay any tuition. Even if I _had _why would they send it here…" I trailed off because it hit me. I knew _exactly _why they would.

"He wouldn't _dare_," I hissed. Except that he already had.

_Fourteen days. Three-hundred and thirty-six hours until the wedding_.

"Bella, you're going to have to wipe that look off your face if you don't want him to know you've seen it," Alice chided.

I sighed and tried to smile. "I know, but what about you? How will you block him out?"

"Don't worry about me. Go take a shower, it will help you relax. They'll be home in a few minutes," she added before flitting out of Edward's room.

I tried to think of an explanation – any explanation – other than the obvious as I took my shower. I was not going to get out of the shower until I had figured out a reason. Edward was already home – I could hear his music from across the hall. What was I going to say to him? I stood there until the water ran cold, but I still had no clue as to what I should say to him. I reluctantly turned off the water. I could handle this in one of two ways. I could either go and face him and have a conversation that I already knew would turn out badly, or I could run and hide like the coward I was. Run or talk to Edward?

I took a deep breath and prepared myself for what I was about to do.

I got dressed and walked into Edward's room. He was staring at his CD collection, engrossed in choosing a CD. He didn't even look up when I walked in. I sat on the bed and brushed my hair, trying to time my breathing with my brush strokes, so I wouldn't hyperventilate. His silence scared me. It reminded me too much of last September – of the days before he left me. The hole in my chest began to ache again. Every minute that passed by without us speaking, it threatened to rip open again.

I had to get out of here. If I stayed here another minute, I would start sobbing. I was hanging on by a thread as it was. I longed to see Jacob, but I knew that I couldn't go to him – not now. So, I decided to do the only other thing I knew would take my mind off of this. The only thing that was worse than sitting in this stony silence.

Shopping. With Alice.

"BELLA! This is going to be so much fun! You won't regret it, I promise." She shrieked as she ran into the room. She grabbed me by the arm and pulled me downstairs.


End file.
